Speak No Evil Star James McAvoy Reveals Joaquin Phoenix Left THIS M Night Shyamalan Movie Role 2 Weeks Before Filming

As a die-hard fan of James McAvoy, I find his tales of last-minute role acquisitions and transformative performances nothing short of exhilarating! The man’s ability to slip into various characters with such ease and authenticity is truly awe-inspiring.


James McAvoy disclosed that he signed up for M. Night Shyamalan’s movie titled Split, which is a psychological thriller, just a few weeks prior to the start of filming. It was after Joaquin Phoenix supposedly dropped out of the project that McAvoy took on the role of Kevin Wendell Crumb, a character suffering from dissociative identity disorder who has 23 different personalities, one of which is the terrifying Beast. Learn more about this fascinating story below.

In a recent conversation on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, James McAvoy discussed his latest psychological horror film, Speak No Evil, and shared that he joined the 2016 film Split at the very last minute. McAvoy was cast as Kevin Wendell Crumb following the departure of Joaquin Phoenix from the movie just a few weeks before shooting began for Joker: Folie à Deux.

When inquired about finding it peculiar to step into Phoenix’s shoes for Deadpool 2, the actor replied, “Not at all. I’ve got enough self-assurance to believe I can pull it off even better. Just joking, I enjoy saying the unexpected. But let me tell you, he’s an outstanding performer.

McAvoy stated that the actor portraying Napoleon would have delivered a performance unlike the one he ultimately gave, but it would still have been exceptional. He pointed out that taking over at the eleventh hour can sometimes lead to good outcomes, as Phoenix departed the project approximately two weeks prior to filming start, and McAvoy added, “It was truly last-minute. I had just a couple of weeks [to prepare].

The actor went on to clarify that he’d had limited time to rehearse, but appreciated the quality of the script which guided him in deciding how to depict most of the characters. He noted that some personas took more time to develop, specifically mentioning that “Patricia and Dennis were easy, Hedwig required a bit more time,” indicating the various personalities he needed to portray for this character.

McAvoy confessed that it wasn’t until the rehearsal when he began to feel a bit anxious. The actor from The Dark Phoenix movie revealed his apprehension stemmed from the realization that he had to portray all fifteen characters while being scrutinized by everyone in attendance, including executives from Universal Studios and producer Jason Blum. He also mentioned, “I hadn’t even figured out some of the characters yet.” This revelation hit him rather abruptly.

Currently showing in cinemas is Speak No Evil. In this movie, James McAvoy portrays Paddy alongside his co-stars Aisling Franciosi and Mackenzie Davis. The story revolves around the Dalton family – Ben, Louise, and their daughter Agnes (Alix West) – who develop a rapport with another couple, Paddy (McAvoy), Ciara (Aisling Franciosi), and their speechless son, Ant (Dan Hough). Over the course of a weekend at their English countryside farm, they gradually unearth a dark secret about their hosts.

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2024-09-15 11:25